When Metro’s very own Maisie Spackman penned that she wanted Carla Connor to fall for a woman after spotting electrifying chemistry between the knicker queen and tough detective Lisa Swain, little did we all know where we’d end up just over two years later!

Coronation Street icons Alison King and Vicky Myers had been coy about where the relationship might head in the early days as fans more and more latched on to the hope that something might be explored.

Eventually it exploded, and the Swarla fandom continues to grow, with social media in the UK and across the pond being dominated by viral clips, interviews and insights around the representative couple.

Several hostage situations, a car pile-up, and an abusive dead-but-not-dead ex later, Carla and Lisa have come through more than your average couple to finally make it to their wedding.

Given that Carla’s middle name is ‘trauma’ and Lisa spends her time arresting the wrong people and accidentally shooting her own daughter, the assumption would be that Corrie would not be able resist bringing carnage and angst to their wedding day.

Cue a welcome curveball – joining Metro for a chat after the screening of the joyful half hour, Ali was very quick to promise that there are no hitches, with Vicky promising quite literal fireworks for the couple after some seriously moving and funny moments from Swarla and pals.

From very special vows and an impeccable Roy moment through to a wildly drunken guest and Sally the Ally at her best, a lot is packed in.

But of course, it can’t ALL go smooth sailing. Initially it seems like there might not be a big day at all, after the wedding venue is flooded.

‘Carla feels absolutely devastated, or as she might put it, ‘well knarked’’. This is supposed to be the best day of her life, and now it’s all ruined,’ Ali said. ‘She is not happy, and it’s everybody’s fault, even though it’s not. She throws her toys out of the pram. She’s really angry!’

But Lisa spies an opportunity to turn the tables and, while Carla is not usually a fan of surprises, Ali admits that for once, she actually loves the unexpected when Lisa solves the issue.

‘Lisa is a bit more pragmatic about it,’ Vicky shared. ‘I mean, obviously, she’s devastated, but that presents itself in a completely different way. Part of the reason why it works between them is because while there are some similarities, a lot of the time they react to things very differently.

‘It’s something that Ryan says, that Carla had said to him. It’s basically about how Carla just wants to marry Lisa. Any hour, any venue will do! And that sets something off in Lisa.

‘She realises, well, we don’t need all of this big fuss, which Carla didn’t particularly want anyway. It was more about the intimacy between the two of them.

‘Plus, she’s got Sally on the case. Sally’s been a pivotal part of it because it was really a last-minute attempt to get this ceremony up and also for everybody that they know and love. How could they possibly manage to organise that in such a short space of time?

‘There was a lot for Lisa to be nervous about, but I think the crux of it is, and the most important thing of it was, to her, was to get married to Carla.’ 

The ceremony itself is indeed a very close and family oriented event, with Ali adding: ‘She loves that part of Lisa that can fix things and will let her take a step back because Peter Barlow wasn’t very good at things like that. So it’s quite nice to have somebody that has foresight and does nice things for her, takes on the mental load.’ 

It is indeed a very different day to what Ali is used to filming when it comes to Carla’s wedding – and the popular actress couldn’t be happier with the end result.

‘I was relieved it wasn’t that, no big dress for Carla this time! The surprise reception at Underworld is Carla’s favourite bit. She likes to feel that even though she shouts at everybody, they still love her – all the workforce.

‘And she likes that, she likes being part of it, because she’s always, always been left out in the whole Connor clan. She was always the one that was taken the mickey out of. So she likes to be part of something. Those factory workers are Carla’s family. It is her safe place.’

And for Lisa, the marriage also represents a new chapter after a toxic former relationship with she who shall not be named.

‘She wants to be married to this woman who she’s fallen madly in love with, who feels like home to her. The complete antithesis of the relationship she’d had before,’ Vicky said. ‘It’s not just about the wedding day, it’s about the marriage itself, and she can’t wait to start that.’

Ahead of the big day, the couple do have to say goodbye to baby Connie, who is taken back after some time in their care. Both actresses have enjoyed the chance to explore that side of their characters and the relationship.

Vicky mused: ‘I think as a viewer of the show, that’s something that’s been fundamental in its 65-year history. It’s about family. It’s about community. It’s about those quiet moments, those conversations. And blended families, dysfunctional families so I think it is important for us to get the opportunity to see this family making it work.’

As part of this, Carla was forced to confront an agony from her past in which she suffered the loss of a baby. Vicky agrees that seeing this vulnerable and honest side to Carla really ‘galvanised and strengthened’ their relationship.

Ali added: ‘Yeah, it was nice to touch on that because we have not really discussed it much. But it was  important to bring that up when Connie came into their lives.

‘I think Carla came on leaps and bounds with that baby, she really enjoyed having her in their lives and we enjoyed having her around.’ 

We can’t avoid addressing the elephant in the room that the day WILL end in murder. But Ali reassures that it doesn’t mar the day for Swarla – they are totally unaware of what is going on while they celebrate with each other.

Vick smiled: ‘The fact that they think the scream is a fox and just carry on watching the fireworks, it just ends nicely. They are oblivious but it’s a great hook.

‘And also it’s a trial for them at the start of married life as Betsy is the one who found the body so they have got something difficult to deal with from day one of married life. As a family, after what they have been through I think they feel very equipped now to be able to deal with things as a team.’

So what would they like the future to hold long term?

Ali pondered before replying: ‘I like the domesticity about it. I like those quiet conversations, the daily routine. I love the comedy and the scenes with Ryan and with Betsy. I’d like more of that. But it may not last long. They love to torture us!’

Well, fellow fans, let’s not focus on the torture – the wedding is incoming and I reckon it will be everything you hoped for and more. With it also happening in Lesbian Visibility Week, the cast and crew have acknowledged the importance and thrown all their passion and hearts to it.

Closing off the chat, Vicky reflected: ‘Soaps are extremely powerful mediums, and this wedding is a significant event to celebrate. The power of this storyline, centering on two women falling in love, despite surrounding circumstances, and becoming each other’s safe space, can spark essential conversations. 

‘It’s particularly impactful that this happens during Lesbian Visibility Week. This relationship promotes understanding and change, especially considering the persistent issue of homophobia and the current gradual retraction of rights despite past progress. 

‘To champion this couple, their family unit, and their commitment by having them marry on Coronation Street is an honour and a truly beautiful, history-making moment. Their sexuality doesn’t define them, but they are proud of who they are.

‘They offer crucial visibility by confidently showing public affection, their life is not kept behind closed doors. Their frequent presence on screen holds the power to prompt lasting change.’

You can see more video footage from Swarla’s chats and other cast by following our TikTok account. More of the chat – and other details from Corrie – will be exclusively in our free soaps newsletter which you can sign up for here.

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There’s been a double blast from Coronation Street’s past this weekend!

It’s been 16 years since Steven Arnold’s alter-ego, Ashley Peacock lost his life in the apocalyptic tram crash of 2010.

Alex Bain’s character, Simon Barlow bowed out in far less tragic circumstances, though, when he ditched the cobbles for a job on a yacht with his dad, Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne), in 2024.

Both had amassed huge tenures on the show, with Steven racking up fifteen years as butcher Ashley, while Alex played his role as troubled Simon for sixteen years before heading off for pastures new.

The two took to TikTok, creating a video to promote a fundraising campaign aimed at the facilitation of a church refurbishment in Rotherham.

‘Hello everyone, it’s Alex Bain here, formerly known as Simon Barlow on Coronation Street,’ Alex started the video, before handing over to Steven.

‘I’m Stephen Arnold, best known for playing Aston Peacock on Coronation Street,’ Steven started.

‘We’re just giving a massive shout out to a really, really good mate of mine, Scott Brunt. He’s [worked with] numerous charities all over Rotherham, and his latest project is doing a refurbishment at St Mary’s Church in Greasbrough.

‘Please get your hand in your pocket and support him. He’s doing fantastic work for the area, and it means so much to the community to get this church back where it belongs. All the best, guys. Cheers!’ Steven finished.

‘All the best, guys, I hope it goes really, really well. Get out there, get donating, get supporting,’ Alex followed on.

‘Make sure you support him, you cheeky little monkeys!’ Steven finished with a big smile.

Various other celebrities have supported the effort, with Johnny Nelson, Kash Ali and Peter Fury also recording videos encouraging people to support Scott Brunt in his efforts to refurbish the church.

Steven and Alex’s Corrie roles

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Ashley, a perennial ‘nice guy’, worked alongside his ‘uncle’ and undisputed soap royalty, Fred ‘I say’ Elliott (John Savident) as a butcher, before he discovered that Fred was, in fact, his dad.

He went on to marry Maxine Heavey (Tracy Shaw), with the two having a son, Joshua, though doubts about his paternity remained with Maxine having had an affair with Matt Ramsden (Stephen Beckett). Ashley raised him as his own, despite a blood test eventually confirming that Matt was indeed the biological father.

Maxine, who definitely should’ve stayed at the party, became the final victim of Richard Hillman (Brian Capron). He bashed her to death with a crowbar, leaving poor Ashley bereft.

Ashley eventually found love again with nanny, Claire Casey (Julia Haworth). They married and had a child, Freddie.

Financial issues plagued the couple, forcing a house swap with the Webster clan, and Claire struggled deeply with post-partum depression, leading Ashley to cheat with Casey Carswell (Zoe Henry), who kidnapped Freddie.

Ashley’s death came as the family planned to move to France. While trapped amid the wreckage of the tram crash, Ashley left Claire a final voicemail, reaffirming his love for her.

Simon had a tumultuous time in Weatherfield as the son of alcoholic Peter after the death of his mum, Lucy Barlow (Katy Carmichael).

After the death of Kal Nazir (Jimi Mistry), Simon began abusing his step-mum, Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) in an incredibly dark storyline.

He later got involved in a criminal gang, committing burglaries and muggings, though he eventually testified against the other members.

He later returned to crime, becoming a drug dealer alongside Jacob Hay (Jack James Ryan), before turning to alcohol, mirroring his alcoholic dad.

After receiving a drink-driving conviction, Simon began to work to turn his life around, eventually leaving the street to live and work with the also-departed Peter.

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Hollyoaks spoilers follow for Monday’s (April 13) episode that is now available to view on Channel 4 streaming. The episode in question will air on E4 on at 7pm.

There were screams galore in Hollyoaks as a number of characters were left terrified for their life amid a devastating crash.

The catastrophic collision came in the dead of night on a remote road just moments after Frankie Osborne (Isabelle Smith) set off for a new adventure in London, having secured a place at a dance school.

The popular character, who has been at the centre of some of the long-running serial’s biggest ever stories, said her goodbyes to her loved ones and set off with brother Charlie Dean (Charlie Behan) and best mate Vicky Grant (Anya Lawrence).

But with little time left until her train, Frankie’s joy turned to panic when she realised that she had left her brand new ballet shoes behind, instructing Charlie to turn around.

On the way home, however, the trio found themselves trailing behind a very large removal van, with new clan the Keanes behind the wheel.

Earlier in the episode, we’d seen newcomers Jonah (Matthew Wolfenden) and Beth (Rebecca Ryan) leave their neighbourhood behind for a fresh start in Hollyoaks with son Caleb (Lewis Walton).

But their excitement was short-lived when they encountered Charlie, who – determined to get Frankie to the station on time – made it clear that he wanted to overtake.

Beth instructed Jonah to pull over and let Charlie go ahead but the patriarch refused out of principle. Caleb, meanwhile, unbuckled his seatbelt to reach for his phone charger, having realised his device was out of battery.

Frankie reckoned that Charlie had plenty of room to overtake but he wasn’t so sure and, as Frankie started beeping the horn, he attempted to take over – with horrific consequences.

After clipping the van, Vicky and Frankie suffered head injuries as the vehicle flew through the air – before landing in the forest nearby.

In the van, Jonah attempted to regain control but ultimately crashed into a digger – with Caleb being thrown headfirst through the windscreen amid the collision.

The question is: has the accident proven fatal?

With six characters’ fate left hanging in the balance, will everyone pull through? Or is there more tragedy on the cards?

Hollyoaks streams Mondays to Wednesdays from 6am on Channel 4’s streaming platform, or catch episodes on TV at 7pm on E4.

If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you.

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Theo Silverton (James Cartwright) is very aware time is running out for him in Coronation Street, and has now plotted to leave the cobbles a lot sooner than Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce) expected.

All of Todd’s loved ones now know that Theo has been abusing him, but are struggling to actually help Todd due to him being unable to escape his now-husband’s clutches.

Terrified all of the time, Todd recently tried to show Theo how much he means to him by agreeing to move to Belfast. Theo hates living in Weatherfield because he’s surrounded by people who know the truth about him, and Todd constantly wants to appease Theo because he knows what will happen if he doesn’t.

After a very awkward and tense interaction with Theo and Todd yesterday, Sarah Platt (Tina O’Brien) updated Christina Boyd (Amy Robbins), George Shuttleworth (Tony Maudsley) and Summer Spellman (Harriet Bibby).

Meanwhile, Gary Windass (Mikey North) was at the builder’s yard reminding Theo that he needed to remove the rest of his belongings. When topic of conversation turned to him being an abuser, Theo pointed out that it cannot be true, because his ex-wife hasn’t ever said anything.

With the group desperate to save Todd, Gary had an idea.

Sarah met with Theo’s ex-partner Danielle (Natalie Anderson) and asked if he had ever been violent. Danielle was outraged, and told Theo what Sarah said when he wandered in moments later.

Back at the flat, Todd was relieved when it became clear that Theo wasn’t going to take his anger out on him over Sarah’s interference. Instead, he claimed that the paperwork for the job in Belfast has been sorted, so they can leaver sooner.

While Todd processed this, Summer was outside learning some pretty important information from Carl Webster (Jonathan Howard).

Summer now knows that Carl was driving the car that impacted how Corriedale played out in January. At the moment, she believes his actions led to Billy Mayhew’s (Daniel Brocklebank) death.

Irritated, Carl put her straight and said she needs to look closer to home if she wants to find out what really happened to Billy.

Todd’s friends are aware he isn’t safe with Theo, but no-one has contemplated that he might be capable of murdering someone.

Will Summer get to the truth in time?

Or will Theo and Todd leave before he’s caught?

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The following article contains spoilers from the episode of Emmerdale dated April 10. It hasn’t aired on ITV1 yet, but can be viewed on ITVX and YouTube.

It’s taken her way longer than I expected, but Emmerdale’s Dawn Taylor (Olivia Bromley) is finally beginning to see Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) for who he really is.

Dawn was waved a giant red flag last year when she discovered that Joe was responsible for the limo crash, which killed three women. She was utterly horrified that she had let her children around this man and yet still…she didn’t leave him.

Staggering I know.

The couple are now engaged, and Dawn recently made it clear to Joe that she’d like to have a baby with him. Their journey so far this year has been great for Joe – he lives in a big house, has a family, and is gaining access to more farmland and money through totally vile means that Dawn is oblivious to. He has lots of power – but that’s now starting to go to his head.

As part of Joe’s plan to gain access to Butler’s, he blackmailed Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) into planting some ID cards found on Celia’s farmland. Joe had obtained footage of Victoria Sugden (Isabel Hodgins) killing her brother John earlier in the year, and told Robert that he’d take it to the police if he didn’t do as he was asked.

Robert hid the passports, but had no idea that they were stolen by a woman responsible for such horror. He’s been well aware that he’s one of the reasons Moira Dingle (Natalie J Robb) is in prison, but kept it to himself to protect Victoria.

When Robert learnt about Moira’s plan to plead guilty at the hearing, he felt horrendous. He headed to Home Farm and asked Joe if there was anything they could do, but that poisonous power and greed led him to basically ignore everything Robert was saying.

Robert decided to try and bring Joe down a peg or two in today’s episode, and enlisted help from Ross Barton (Michael Parr). Just like his Director of Operations job, Ross wasn’t very good at helping Robert, so he was forced to sort everything himself.

Robert attempted to get into Joe’s computer to access the video of Vic, but was caught by Dawn. He tried to cover, but Dawn ended up finding the video.

It was at this point another red flag appeared in front of her face only this time, Dawn actually acknowledged it was there. She confronted Joe about the video, and then deleted it from his device. Dawn was totally disgusted and told Joe that it feels like she doesn’t know him anymore.

Joe claimed that he kept the video for insurance purposes, and everything he did after was for his and Dawn’s family. In the past, these types of comments from Joe would’ve been enough to win Dawn over – but not this time.

She packed a bag and left Home Farm, telling Joe that she’d be spending the night at Billy Fletcher’s (Jay Kontzle).

Joe was left standing all alone in Home Farm, somewhat shocked that things had escalated so badly. We now know that Olivia Bromley will leave her role as Dawn Taylor this year, suggesting things with Joe aren’t going to get back on track.

Will Dawn simply leave Emmerdale?

Or will Joe take action to prevent her from telling anyone else about his grim moves?

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Things got a little awkward, although very funny for Adam Thomas recently, after he found himself in what he described as a ‘very difficult’ situation involving his brother’s girlfriend.

The former Emmerdale star shared the story on the brothers’ podcast, ‘At Home With The Thomas Bros’, where nothing is off limits and embarrassing family moments are very much fair game.

Chatting alongside his brothers Ryan Thomas and Scott Thomas, Adam admitted he was left completely flustered after unexpectedly walking into Scott’s house.

According to Adam, he had popped round casually, not realising Scott’s girlfriend, pro dancer Lauren Kingsman, was there. And when he walked in, he got a bit more of a surprise than he bargained for.

‘I didn’t know Lauren was there,’ he explained, already cringing at the memory. ‘So I’ve walked in, and she’s all nonchalant in these jogging bottoms and this bikini top…’

Scott quickly jumped in to correct him, laughing, ‘sports bra.’

But the damage was already done.

Adam went on to admit that he didn’t quite know where to look as Lauren tried to chat with him. ‘She was trying to have a conversation with me and for a guy, my natural instinct was just to…’ he said, gesturing to his eyes while his brothers burst out laughing.

It didn’t take long for Ryan to wind him up either, joking: ‘So what you’re telling me is that you fancy your brother’s girlfriend?’

Adam was quick to shut that down. ‘No! It was just a… very difficult situation,’ he insisted. ‘She’s trying to have a conversation with me and I’m just sweating and I need to go. I just need to go.’

Safe to say, he didn’t stick around long.

The brothers’ podcast has become a go-to for fans who love hearing their unfiltered chats. Meanwhile, Scott and Lauren’s relationship has been going strong since they made things official on New Year’s Eve 2025. The couple first went public after Scott’s stint on Love Island All Stars, which came nearly a decade after he first rose to fame on Love Island.

Since then, Scott has been open about how much Lauren means to him, especially during a difficult time in his life following the loss of his beloved dog, Juno.

Sharing an emotional tribute at the time, Scott revealed he felt the timing of meeting Lauren brought him a sense of comfort. He described his pet as his ‘whole entire life’ and said he believed everything happened when it was meant to.

‘I really do believe in divine timing,’ he said, explaining how Lauren had been there to support him when he needed it most.

Lauren has also already met the wider Thomas family, after joining them for New Year’s celebrations, and it sounds like she’s passed the test. Ryan, who is in a relationship with Lucy Mecklenburgh, reportedly gave the relationship his seal of approval.

As for Adam, he might need a bit more time to recover from that first encounter. It’s a conversation only brothers could have and get away with. The trio are known for pulling each other’s legs, but they don’t shy away from opening up about the more serious subjects on their show either.

But at least he can laugh about it now, even if he did make a very quick exit at the time.

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As EastEnders viewers prepared to welcome back the Mitchell Princess, Sam (Kim Medcalf), last year, they were probably expecting another does of her patented blend of sex, criminal capers and shoddy parenting.

Even with the pre-return announcement that Sam’s return would involve a cancer plot, the shock of the perennially devilish diva returning as a frightened, vulnerable shell of her former self was a shock.

While she initially took her typically chaotic approach to things, cruelly manipulating the dementia suffering-Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley) and stealing the contents of big brother, Phil’s (Steve McFadden) safe, it was in the presence of her son, Ricky Branning (Frankie Day), that she began to waver.

Young Ricky could tell something was wrong when she told him that she was trying to secure him a nest-egg to help with his future. As she lamented her failings as a mother, Ricky was left unnerved.

Confronted by baby daddy Jack (Scott Maslen) and Phil, Sam’s front faltered, and it became incredibly apparent how terrified she truly was that she’d lose her life to the same illness that claimed her beloved mum, Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor).

With the support of Phil, Jack and various other Walford residents, Sam found the courage to fight back. Once officially diagnosed with breast cancer, she received a date for her lumpectomy and told Ricky the truth about her condition.

Sam faced an agonising wait for her results, but they came, and in the middle of a verbal catfight with frenemy and former co-conspirator, Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman), she revealed that she was cancer free.

As she faced a return to Portugal to begin a gruelling course of radiotherapy, she learned from Lily Slater (Lillia Turner) that Ricky desperately wanted her to stay and Sam had a moment to take everything in.

A character always defined by her utter selfishness and single-minded focus on herself had grown to become a loving, dependable mum, a supportive sister and a confidante to Zack Hudson (James Farrar), George Knight (Colin Salmon), Julie Bates (Karen Henthorn) and even former enemies like Chrissie, Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) and Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan)…and she decided to stay, beginning her radiotherapy treatment, leaning on Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) as it took both a physical and emotional toll on her.

Next week sees her resume her role as support system for Zack, as he struggles with the upcoming wedding between Ross Marshall (Alex Walkinshaw) and Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig), with whom he’s been fighting a growing attraction.

As the respective stag and hen parties begin, Zack opens his heart to Sam, and tells her of his recent tryst with Vicki, as well as the undeniable connection between them, moments before he’s forced to act as a stripper for her…

The following day, Zack lays it on the line for Vicki, who rejects him. He heads to Harry’s Barn to sink a few drinks before he’s joined by Sam. As the two engage in another heart to heart, she reveals that further tests have shown that she remains all clear for cancer.

That’s right. She faced it, fought it and won. That’s our girl.

MORE: EastEnders legend stages return as Sam Mitchell opens up on cancer treatment

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This article contains spoilers for tonight’s (April 6) episode of Coronation Street, which has not yet aired on TV but is available to watch now on YouTube and ITVX.

If there’s one thing that not a single Corrie fan doubts, it’s that Ronnie Bailey’s (Vinta Morgan) will to look after Debbie Webster (Sue Devaney) is simply unshakeable. Another undisputed fact among Weatherfield faithful is that Carl Webster (Jonathan Howard) can not be trusted.

Ever.

It didn’t take Carl long after Debbie was released from the clink, for a crime that he committed, mind you, for him to resume his campaign to extract as much cash from her as possible.

Visiting her inside and perennially on the beg, the guilt Debbie felt for giving her son away at birth and only recently admitting all to him, led to much money being handed over as she desperately tried to make everything better, but her hope was false.

Carl had almost no interest in building a relationship with his sister-turned-mum – he wanted a cash injection and to be on his way.

Debbie was finally set free yesterday, but had her nearest and dearest panicked when she promptly disappeared. With her dementia ever-worsening, Ronnie and brother Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) were terrified.

As it turned out, though, Debbie was completely fine, and had taken herself off for a cheeky swing at the precinct. As she seemingly slipped into confusion, though, Carl approached, and she admitted she was playing, managing to talk an ice cream out of him.

Retiring to her flat, Carl and Debbie seemingly began to bond on a very real level, with Carl’s tough-as-nails exterior beginning to crack as he showed real guilt for what he’d put her through, delivering a genuine apology and declaring his love, with him finally accepting her as his mum…

…until he started asking for money. Again.

Todays trip to the cobbles saw our diminutive dynamo ready to return to work and get cracking. Out of her prison duds and exploding back into the Chariot Square hotel dressed to kill, Debbie was on a mission to reclaim her pre-prison identity, and also to shuffle ten grand out of the hotel’s accounts and into Carl’s.

Carl was jittery, constantly bugging Debbie about the cash, and Ronnie’s hackles turned vertical when he learned about the amount of money his wife was preparing to hand over. As Carl became more and more uncomfortable with how much Debbie was willing to share with Ronnie, especially that the money was being used to pay off Fiona, Ronnie grew more angry and, once alone, he decided to seek the truth from the source.

With Debbie insisting that Carl work at the hotel to pay off his new debt to her, Ryan Connor’s (Ryan Prescott) nose was seriously put out of joint, having fired Carl previously. Approaching Carl and demanding he put in a shift that evening, the two males traded barbs, with Carl smugly declaring that he’d always come first with Debbie, and battling him would prove to be fruitless.

But battle Ryan did, and as they approached Debbie while at each other’s throats, Ryan was prepared to walk away, completely unable to deal with Carl, until Debbie offered to fatten his pay cheque.

As things got more heated, Ronnie returned and detonated the bomb that Fiona had handed him: Carl owes her £5,000, not £10,000. He spelt it out clearly as Debbie’s heart broke – Carl was using her to pay his debt, and line his own pockets.

Though Carl spluttered and scrambled, Debbie could take no more, hurting from yet another extortion attempt. She declared to Carl that they were finished as the scales fell from her eyes and shattered on the floor.

Inflicting yet another enormous wound on the only person who loves him in the whole world, has Carl lost his last lifeline? Could this have any bearing on the upcoming murder that’ll lessen Coronation Street of one of it’s many baddies?

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Martin Fowler (James Bye) was a stalwart of EastEnders, and his death rocked the lives of nearly every Albert Square resident.

Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), Martin’s true love with whom he’d reconciled moments before his demise was utterly broken; the loss of Martin eventually seeing her own departure from the Square.

Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) was forced to deliver the heart breaking news to Bex Fowler (Jasmine Armfield), the daughter she shared with Martin, while dealing with her own grief over losing her childhood sweetheart.

Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton), a character intrinsically linked with both Martin and Stacey also left Walford amid her grief, while Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) took an extended leave of absence, heading to Australia to support her grieving friend Michelle Fowler (Jenna Russell).

The loss of Martin was seismic, with residents gathering in Harry’s Barn to celebrate his life, mourning the death of a beloved EastEnders legend.

Speaking at the time of his alter-ego’s death, James said: ‘Saying goodbye is not easy, but after 10 years at EastEnders and on the night of the show’s epic 40th anniversary – the time felt right.

‘It’s an honour to leave on a story of this magnitude. A huge thank you to all the fans of the show – EastEnders wouldn’t be what it is without you – and to the BBC and EastEnders team for trusting me with this role for so many years.

‘This fruit and veg man will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s time to look forward, and I’m incredibly excited for what the future holds. RIP Martin Fowler.’

With Martin gone, a remnant of him does linger in Walford: his old shed, which Ross Marshall (Alex Walkinshaw) and Harvey Monroe (Ross Boatman) have big plans for: they want to turn it into a man cave.

Both previously formed a foursome alongside Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) and Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) who vowed to provide a safe space to talk and now, Ross and Harvey plan to make that space tangible, but they need the key from Jean Slater (Gillian Wright).

When Ross and Harvey tell Zack Hudson (James Farrar) of their plan, he’s initially reticent, believing that it’s disrespectful to Martin’s memory.

When he talks to Barney Mitchell (Lewis Bridgeman), though, his son helps him to realise that Martin himself would’ve been fully behind the idea.

Zack approaches Jean and tells her of the groups plans for the shed and puts his all into persuading her that it’s a good idea.

The only problem? Jean turns around to find Ross and Harvey trying to steal the key.

As the shed renovation begins, Ross begins to open up, leading to the groups next issue…

MORE: All EastEnders spoilers for next week as killer finally faces the jury

MORE: Sparks fly as EastEnders’ Mark clocks palpable atmosphere between Vicki and Zack

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The following article contains spoilers from the episode of Emmerdale dated April 3. It hasn’t aired on ITV1 yet, but can be viewed on ITVX.

The literal key to saving Moira Dingle (Natalie J Robb) from the rest of her life in prison is currently laying among the grounds of Celia Daniels’ (Jaye Griffiths) old farm in Emmerdale. The problem? No one knows about it.

Evil Celia was killed by her son Ray Walters (Joe Absolom) at the start of this year. He then buried her body on land belonging to Butler’s Farm. Right beside Celia’s shallow grave was another one, hiding refugee Anya’s body.

Ruby Miligan (Beth Cordingly), who knew Anya, began to suspect that the young woman was dead after a comment from Bear Wolf (Joshua Richards). She found the grave and called the police, but had no idea for a second that they’d discover another body in the ground.

As a result of finding the bodies on her farmland, Moira is facing a double murder charge. You’d think this was enough drama for Moira to come up against, but a plan created by Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) has meant she’s also potentially going to be sentenced for modern slavery.

Joe told Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) to plant the ID cards from Celia’s house in Butler’s, which meant it looked like Moira had something to do with the horror that went on at Celia’s farm.

The issue Moira has is that no-one has any evidence to prove she is innocent, but that all changed in today’s instalment.

Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt) and Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) decide to head to Celia’s farm on their quest to confront their inner demons. Outside the house was a huge pile of furniture items, which Paddy and Marlon proceeded to smash up.

The episode focused solely on Marlon and Paddy, and explored how they were feeling about difficult situations in their lives at the moment. For Paddy, it was his upcoming trial and for Marlon, it was his fear that Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry) is going to leave him for Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough).

We also saw the two men discuss how they handled the situation with Celia and Ray. Smashing chairs and tables to pieces was certainly a good way of getting their anger out of their system, but both Marlon and Paddy found talking honestly about their thoughts far more beneficial when it came to moving forward.

As they reflected on the torture that occurred at Celia’s farm, Marlon spotted a key with a label on that said ‘HSU107’. Due to the fact the police had already turned the place over, Marlon and Paddy concluded that the key probably wasn’t important.

But it was.

In central Hotten, we saw a storage facility and the contents of unit 107. It was completely packed full of paperwork – which will more than likely prove Moira’s innocence.

But with Marlon and Paddy believing the key isn’t important, no one else has any reason to go back to Celia’s farm.

How will they find it?

MORE: Another Emmerdale resident spots Rhona and Graham’s connection – and it’s not Marlon

MORE: All Emmerdale spoilers for next week as legend left for dead

MORE: Marlon and Paddy take a huge step in Emmerdale after horrific year

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